Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz will start Thursday’s game against the Seattle Kraken.
Stolarz returned to action on January 23 against the Vegas Golden Knights, following a two-month absence while he was dealing with a nerve issue. The 32-year-old allowed five goals on 30 shots, as the Maple Leafs lost 6-3. Stolarz has posted a 6-6-1 record in 14 appearances with an .880 save percentage this season.
William Nylander skated among the extras as a full participant but will not play in Thursday’s game. Nylander has been out of the lineup since aggravating a groin injury during a January 15 game against the Golden Knights. The 29-year-old met with reporters on Monday, discussing his irritation with being out of the lineup.
“It’s been frustrating,” Nylander said, while apologizing for giving the middle finger to a TSN broadcast camera during the third period of Sunday’s loss to the Colorado Avalanche. “I haven’t missed this amount of time since I can remember.”
“Willie’s gone a long time in his career without missing games and it’s been different this year for him so it’s something new that he’s going through,” Berube said Monday. “He came back and then re-injured it again pretty quickly so it is frustrating.”
Jacob Quillan also skated among the extra forwards. Quillan played sparingly during Sunday’s loss against the Avalanche, and was a healthy scratch for Tuesday’s loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
Marshall Rifai skated among the extra defencemen with Philippe Myers. Rifai was called up from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies on Wednesday, and could provide the Maple Leafs’ defence corps with some much-needed physicality and net-front defending.
Maple Leafs’ projected lines vs. Kraken
Bobby McMann-Auston Matthews-Max Domi
Matias Maccelli-John Tavares-Matthew Knies
Nick Robertson-Nicolas Roy-Calle Jarnkrok
Steven Lorentz-Scott Laughton-Easton Cowan
Morgan Rielly-Brandon Carlo
Jake McCabe-Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Simon Benoit-Troy Stecher
Anthony Stolarz (projected starter)
Joseph Woll
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